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Businessman Fridman never turned to Russian Embassy in London, says ambassador

There is nothing particular to comment about this, Andrey Kelin said

MOSCOW, December 12. /TASS/. Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman, detained in London earlier this month, did not turn to the Russian Embassy in London, Russian Ambassador to Great Britain Andrey Kelin said on Monday in an interview with Russia’s Izvestia daily.

"No, he didn’t turn to us. There is nothing particular to comment about this," Kelin said. "When an official notification about an initiated police raid here against Russian businessmen emerged we have submitted a relevant note with the Foreign Office."

"However, if compared to other cases, we did not receive a response regarding our official notification at the issue, and I believe that this is a shady case," Kelin said.

On December 3, Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman was detained in London. According to a source close to the businessman, he was apprehended on suspicion of violating sanctions imposed on him.

In May, a criminal case was opened in the UK against Russian entrepreneur Pyotr Aven over sanctions violations.

On February 28, the European Union imposed sanctions on the owners of the Alfa Group Consortium Mikhail Fridman and Pyotr Aven as well as other Russian officials and businessmen. On March 1, news came that Fridman and Aven were resigning from the board of directors of Russia’s Alfa Bank.